When is it too much protein?

[cmom]

This is one of my champions from a show. She is a Rhode Island Red.

 

[cmom]

This is my Reserve Champion from a show. He is a White Leghorn. Sorry for the blurry picture.

 

[chickens really]

The protein content of commercially available feeds is determined by poultry nutrition experts to return the best acceptable returns for minimal costs in commercial operations. This in turn has led people who think they are experts but aren't to condemn any thoughts about feeding a higher or lower protein content.

I raise exhibition heritage white cornish. I feed a custom feed i created that averages around 35% protein. Much of it animal sourced. The challenge to feeding that level of protein is inadequate levels of choline chloride. Although not an amino acid, choline chloride is derived from methionine which is. When methionine is deficient as os a common case with feeds that are solely plant sourced protein ls, choline becomes a limiting growth factor which results in fatty liver disease and perosis.

Higher levels of protein can be fed and poultry can efficiently use it IF the feed is balanced with additional essential amino acids and limiting growth factors.

It's impossible to get this sort of growth on aView attachment 1971043 View attachment 1971044 View attachment 1971045 7 month old cockerel feeding 21% plant sourced protein.

This is my Reserve Champion from a show. He is a White Leghorn. Sorry for the blurry picture.
View attachment 1971120

Yep..RIR and Leghorn do very well with higher protein..
That's what I was leaning towards in my reply.
Only certain breeds do good on higher protein feeds.

 

[Shadrach]

Hi everyone! I was wondering from your research and experience the best way to go about chicken health. I don’t keep my chickens for meat or eggs. Just pets. I want them to live long happy healthy lives and grow up to have the most beautiful feathers. I got them around a week old and They started out on medicated starter feed, but now they are almost 3 months old and eat NatureWise all flock, mixed with brewers yeast and coop kelp. Do you think this is a good diet or bad one? I just want them to be the healthiest chickens ever. Thank you

Naturewise All Flock gives a minimum of 20% protein, but is a little high in fat at around 2.5% compared to the feeds I find here which don't go much above 1%.
@Fairview01 points out that the commercial feed producers make the most economical feed that provides a bird with the necessary amino acids and enzymes to digest the various feed components. the important point to note is that it a minimum value.
Fairview01 also mentions that they feed at around 35% protein and that is much more in keeping with those who make their own feeds for what used to be fighting game birds.
The fighting is illegal here now thankfully, but the tradition of keeping game fowl hasn't died away.
What also makes a difference is how you keep your chickens. If you free range and provide a good quality feed then assuming the forage is decent the chickens will get other sources of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals from what they forage. This is a very important factor.
Chickens are omnivorous and this is also an important point to bear in mind. There are certain foodstuffs that provide all the necessary amino acids to make a complete protein and provide alternative amino acids if something is missing in their normal diet.
Most here feed fish and meat to their chickens and a small amount of fruit and veg.
If I were you and looking to provide a healthy diet I would dump the brewers yeast and coop kelp and feed them some fish and meat along with a bit of fruit and veg.

 

[AnneLovesChickens]

18% protein is good for certain breeds of chickens. Certain ones require higher protein.

I feed my chicks Game Bird starter which I think is 26% protein. I used to feed them a high protein starter but the company I deal with no longer makes it and suggested I use the Game Bird starter. When The chicks are around 8 weeks I switch them over to grower pellets which is 21% protein. When the birds start laying I switch them over to Game Bird Breeder pellets 20% protein. During the hot summer months here in Florida I feed the birds a 16% layer feed. When they start molting I switch them back to the Game Bird Breeder 20% protein since their feathers are made of primarily protein. After they molt I give them a mix of regular Layer and the Game Bird Breeder. When I set up my breeding pens I switch the birds over the the Game Bird Breeder. I did a lot of researched and contacted people I know who are breeders. I do show my birds at poultry shows. Good luck and have fun...

Can you send pictures of them? I would love to see!

 

[AnneLovesChickens]

Naturewise All Flock gives a minimum of 20% protein, but is a little high in fat at around 2.5% compared to the feeds I find here which don't go much above 1%.
@Fairview01 points out that the commercial feed producers make the most economical feed that provides a bird with the necessary amino acids and enzymes to digest the various feed components. the important point to note is that it a minimum value.
Fairview01 also mentions that they feed at around 35% protein and that is much more in keeping with those who make their own feeds for what used to be fighting game birds.
The fighting is illegal here now thankfully, but the tradition of keeping game fowl hasn't died away.
What also makes a difference is how you keep your chickens. If you free range and provide a good quality feed then assuming the forage is decent the chickens will get other sources of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals from what they forage. This is a very important factor.
Chickens are omnivorous and this is also an important point to bear in mind. There are certain foodstuffs that provide all the necessary amino acids to make a complete protein and provide alternative amino acids if something is missing in their normal diet.
Most here feed fish and meat to their chickens and a small amount of fruit and veg.
If I were you and looking to provide a healthy diet I would dump the brewers yeast and coop kelp and feed them some fish and meat along with a bit of fruit and veg.

Cool, thank you!! I will most definitely look into that <3

 

[Fairview01]

Wow! What a beautiful coat!! I’m seriously wondering if nutritional value of long living poultry is often neglected since they are raised to be killed within a year or 2. I have 4 ducks too and one is a drake blue Swedish, and it’s feathers are coming in with extra colors all over his body. Do you think this could be from eating so healthy?

My breeding stock rarely survives more than 18 months. If they see three or more breeding seasons I either have a problem with the overall flock genetics or I'm selecting the wrong grow outs. I breed exhibition heritage cornish. There are 2 simple secrets to being successful. Succession of last years breeding stock with superior offspring and always pulling the numbers down to the finest birds. I hatched 400, culled 350 prior to leaving the brooder and of remaining 50 grow outs 36 rode the bus to camp Kenmore. Exhibition poultry is nothing more than accelerated evolution.

This is what a clean bathed large white cornish cockerel looks like in full feather and close to perfect show condition. The previous one is a dirty bird. I was getting him ready for show. For his age he has very strong shoulders and a wide back and breast. He will be a beast when he matures.

This breed is strictly a meat bird. They require a lot of protein to make protein. Low or 100% plant sourced protein slows their growth and stunts these birds from reaching their full potential.

It's impossible to get this size, color and quality of shank on any bird feeding them across the feed counter mixes. Just my opinion.

 

[AnneLovesChickens]

This is one of my champions from a show. She is a Rhode Island Red.
View attachment 1971115

Awww your birds sure are pretty!! <3

 

[AnneLovesChickens]

My breeding stock rarely survives more than 18 months. If they see three or more breeding seasons I either have a problem with the overall flock genetics or I'm selecting the wrong grow outs. I breed exhibition heritage cornish. There are 2 simple secrets to being successful. Succession of last years breeding stock with superior offspring and always pulling the numbers down to the finest birds. I hatched 400, culled 350 prior to leaving the brooder and of remaining 50 grow outs 36 rode the bus to camp Kenmore. Exhibition poultry is nothing more than accelerated evolution.

This is what a clean bathed large white cornish cockerel looks like in full feather and close to perfect show condition. The previous one is a dirty bird. I was getting him ready for show. For his age he has very strong shoulders and a wide back and breast. He will be a beast when he matures.

View attachment 1971469

This breed is strictly a meat bird. They require a lot of protein to make protein. Low or 100% plant sourced protein slows their growth and stunts these birds from reaching their full potential.

It's impossible to get this size, color and quality of shank on any bird feeding them across the feed counter mixes. Just my opinion. View attachment 1971483

You seem like you really know what you’re doing & your chickens look beautiful. Thank you for your insights!